Scotch College

Foundation Celebrates 30th Birthday

Foundation Celebrates 30th Birthday

The creation in 1768 and subsequent development of the Encylopaedia Britannica took place - not as one might have expected in London, but in Edinburgh. The creation of the world's most comprehensive and authoritative encyclopaedia exemplified two very Scottish characteristics that are reflected in the Scotch College of today - a love of learning and industriousness of an enduring kind.

The establishment of the Scotch College Foundation 30 years ago was a critical factor in ensuring that our School has the resources to advance these core values as well as other progressive values, such as concern for others and the development of all-round capacities within a physical and intellectual environment that is second to none.

In seeking to celebrate the Scotch Foundation's achievements, I wish to make two points: the first is that supporting the Foundation enables many boys who come from 'financially challenged' families - either chronically or temporarily challenged, like the family I came from - to immerse themselves in a wonderfully enriching educational experience and, by doing so, change the trajectory of their lives forever. The second point is that the School has a huge multiplier effect for good in the community in which we live.

The Scotch College Foundation "the treasury of the school" was brought into existence in 1973 due to the efforts of several people, but the person to whom we owe most thanks is Colin Healey - a greatly under-appreciated Principal. It is also to him that I owe an immense personal debt, because in responding to my father's request for help, he took it upon himself to care about the welfare of a schoolboy and a family in distress - a family he had never heard of previously and to whom he owed no allegiance whatsoever. His generosity and compassion and the generosity and compassion of the Principals that followed or preceded him in assisting what is now a very large number of boys - represent one of the very best aspects of Scotch - an aspect that the Foundation is greatly enhancing.

Let me describe my family circumstances. During the 1950s and early 60s, my father's business flourished and for many years we enjoyed a wonderful and financially secure family life, but then in the mid-60s - due to a combination of the after-effects of the credit squeeze and my father's chronic coronary artery disease - he lost everything and nearly went bankrupt. In his letter to Colin Healey, my father explained that it had been my fervent ambition for some time to study Medicine. He mentioned that the family circumstances were - to use his words - 'rather grim', explaining that after several heart attacks he had recently failed in business, had lost everything and was now completely incapacitated. He asked if some way might be found to enable me to be enrolled at Scotch. Colin Healey responded to this letter and gave me what amounted to a 'compassionate scholarship' - and subsequently gave a similar scholarship to my younger brother, Mark, as well. As a result of the scholarship, I was able to study medicine at the University of Melbourne and embark on a career in psychiatric research.

In considering the Foundation, I have focussed on scholarships - but the other key limb of the Foundation's fundraising has been for buildings, the fabric of the school - within which the adventure and joy of learning takes place. Very substantial funds raised by the Foundation have supported building programs such as the Senior School Science Centre, the Glenn Centre for Physical Education, the Keon Cohen Computer Centre and the Language and Culture Centre. But the most breathtaking application of Foundation's funds has been $7.7 million which have been raised towards the building of the School's Music and Drama Centre - the magnificent James Forbes Academy.

In its 30 years, the Scotch College Foundation has exceeded every possible expectation. It has done so because it has had three components: the vehicle, the vision and the vitality:

First, it has provided the vehicle for fundraising. Since 1973 the Foundation has raised almost $38 million in cash, pledges and endowments. The current Foundation Corpus is nearly $9 million. Income generated from this amount is allocated in part to pay for scholarships, bursaries and to provide financial assistance for students. It is the second element of the vision for the school, such as the current, multi-component Master plan, which provides a clear-sighted framework for the more than $30 million worth of fundraising by the Foundation for the redevelopment of several sections of the School. All of this is occurring under the prescient guidance of Council and of Gordon Donaldson, a superb Principal whose vision for what Scotch could become was daring in its scope and has become potent in its realisation.

And finally, the third element is that of vitality - hundreds of people are committed to the cause because we can all see that there is no better investment for the future than investment in quality education. And there is no better illustration of the vitality of the Foundation than that demonstrated at tonight's Dinner, with the launch of the Alexander Morrison Circle of Giving - the School's bequest society. The lead from the top in the form of Michael Robinson's announcement that he is going to become a Founding Member of the Circle is typical of his generosity and of the many years of service he has given to Scotch.

In toasting the Scotch College Foundation and its 30th Anniversary, we toast the many individuals who have helped to ensure - and will continue to ensure - that Scotch College is one of Australia's most effective engines for a civil society - a society which values progress, endeavour, initiative and compassion.

David Copolov
Tuesday, 5 August, 2003